Environmental waste-control process for spray rinsing chemically treated articles

Abstract

A process and apparatus that includes multiple counterflow rinsing of chemically treated, anodized, plated or otherwise processed workpieces, utilizing a single on-line spray-rinse tank or station with successively less concentrated or contaminated rinse solutions that are sequentially pumped from one or more off-line tanks or reservoirs that provide at least three overlapping counterflow spray rinse cycles that cover the treated workpiece or workpieces which can be supported individually or together in a bulk processing barrel in the spray-rinse tank, whereby the workpiece or pieces are decontaminated for any additional processing of a finished part using a minimum amount of water or rinse solution during the rinsing process.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A process of providing multiple counterflow rinsing of chemically treated workpieces employing a single on-line rinse tank together with at least one reservoir, comprising the steps of: providing at least one reservoir;   storing rinse solution in said reservoir;   providing a single on-line rinse tank connected by rinse lines to said reservoir to receive rinse solution therefrom;   positioning a workpieces or a multiplicity of workpieces in said on-line rinse tank;   pumping the rinse solution sequentially from said reservoir to said on-line rinse tank;   providing at least three spray-rinse cycles wherein the first rinse cycle includes:   spraying a first rinse solution on said workpiece or workpieces with said rinse solution from said reservoir and returning said rinse solution to a discard station;   spraying a second rinse solution on said workpieces or workpieces with said rinse solution from said reservoir and returning said rinse solution to said reservoir;   spraying fresh water from a water supply means into said single on-line rinse tank; and   returning said fresh water to said reservoir purging said rinse lines of remaining rinse solution prior to each succeeding rinse cycle.   
     
     
       2. The process as recited in claim 1, wherein said on-line rinse tank includes a spray assembly whereby said rinse solution is sprayed from a pump into said on-line rinse tank. 
     
     
       3. The process as recited in claim 2, including the step of programmably controlling sequential pumping of said rinse solution and said fresh water into said single on-line rinse tank. 
     
     
       4. The process as recited in claim 3, including a plurality of sequentially operated reservoirs having at least a first reservoir and a last reservoir, and wherein two cycles are performed for each reservoir included in said process. 
     
     
       5. The process as recited in claim 4, including the step of supporting said workpieces in a bulk processing barrel. 
     
     
       6. A method of providing multiple counterflow rinsing of chemically treated workpieces having a discharge system and a return system and a single on-line rinse tank with a plurality of sequentially positioned reservoirs, comprising the steps of: providing a multiplicity of reservoirs sequentially positioned and interconnected to each other, including a first reservoir and a last reservoir, with one or more reservoirs interposed between said first and said last reservoirs, and wherein each of said reservoirs is sequentially operated and has at least three spray rinse cycles;   storing in each reservoir a successively less contaminated rinse solution;   providing a single on-line rinse tank connected to each reservoir to sequentially receive rinse solution therefrom;   positioning said workpiece or pieces in said on-line rinse tank;   pumping and spraying a first spray-rinse solution from said first reservoir to said rinse tank for spraying said workpiece or pieces supported therein;   returning said first spray-rinse solution to a drain means or discard station;   pumping and spraying a second spray rinse with solution from said first reservoir over said workpiece or pieces in said on-line rinse tank;   returning second spray-rinse solution to said first reservoir;   pumping and spraying a third spray rinse with solution from an adjacent first succeeding interposed reservoir located between said first and last reservoirs over said workpiece or pieces in said on-line rinse tank;   returning said third spray rinse solution to said first reservoir;   pumping and spraying a fourth spray rinse with solution from said first succeeding interposed reservoir over said workpiece or pieces with said solution;   returning said fourth spray rinse to said first succeeding interposed reservoir;   pumping and spraying a fifth spray rinse with solution from said last reservoir over said workpiece or pieces in said on-line rinse tank with said solution;   returning said fifth spray rinse to said first succeeding interposed reservoir;   pumping and spraying a sixth spray rinse with solution from said last reservoir over said workpiece or pieces in said on-line rinse tank with said solution;   returning said sixth spray rinse to said last reservoir; and   pumping and spraying a seventh spray rinse with a clean water solution from a water supply means;   returning said clean water to said last reservoir purging said discharge system of remaining rinse solution prior to each rinse cycle.   
     
     
       7. The method as recited in claim 6, including the step of interposing a multiplicity of additional reservoirs between said first and last reservoirs, whereby each added reservoir includes at least three spray-rinse cycles. 
     
     
       8. The method as recited in claim 7, including the step of pumping added rinse solution from said first reservoir after returning said clean water to said last reservoir, wherein said added rinse solution remains in said discharge system so as to be sprayed when starting a new spray-rinse process. 
     
     
       9. The method as recited in claim 8, including the step of providing means for sensing the level of rinse solution within said reservoirs. 
     
     
       10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said discharge system includes intervening pipes and wherein said remaining rinse solution in said intervening pipes defines a "push" water rinse. 
     
     
       11. A process of providing multiple counterflow rinsing of chemically treated workpieces employing a single on-line rinse tank together with at least one reservoir, comprising the steps of: providing at least one reservoir;   storing rinse solution in said reservoir;   providing a single on-line rinse tank including a spray means connected to said reservoir by intervening pipe means to receive rinse solution therefrom by a valve means and a pump means, wherein said pump means is interposed between said valve means and said spray means;   positioning a workpiece or a multiplicity of workpieces in said on-line rinse tank;   pumping the rinse solution sequentially from said reservoir to said single on-line rinse tank;   providing a least three spray-rinse cycles wherein the first rinse cycle includes;   spraying a first rinse solution on said workpiece or workpieces with said rinse solution from said reservoir for a predetermined amount of time and returning said first rinse solution to a discard station from said single on-line rinse tank;   pausing after said first rinse solution is sprayed for a predetermined amount of time to allow all of said first rinse solution in said single on-line rinse tank to drain therefrom before said first rinse solution is sprayed a second time;   spraying said first rinse solution on said workpiece or workpieces a second time from said reservoir for a predetermined amount of time and returning said first rinse solution to said reservoir;   spraying a second rinse solution of fresh water from a water supply means into said single on-line rinse tank for a predetermined amount of time and returning said fresh water to said reservoir; and   pumping a given amount of first rinse solution from said reservoir to purge any remaining solution in said intervening pipe between said valve means and said spray means.   
     
     
       12. The process as recited in claim 11, wherein said remaining solution in said intervening pipe defines a "push" water rinse. 
     
     
       13. The process as recited in claim 11, including the step of: providing a first reservoir and a second reservoir;   storing a first rinse solution in said first reservoir;   storing a second rinse solution in said second reservoir;   providing at least five spray-rinse cycles wherein the first rinse cycle includes:   spraying a first rinse solution on said workpiece or workpieces a first time from said first reservoir for a predetermined amount of time and returning said first rinse solution to said discard station from said single on-line rinse tank;   pausing after said first rinse solution is sprayed for a predetermined amount of time to allow all of said first rinse solution in said single on-line rinse tank to be drained therefrom before said first rinse solution is sprayed a second time;   spraying said first rinse solution a second time on said workpiece or workpieces from said first reservoir for a predetermined amount of time and returning said rinse solution to said first reservoir;   spraying a second rinse solution a first time on said workpiece or workpieces from said second reservoir into said rinse tank for a predetermined amount of time and returning said second rinse solution to said first reservoir;   pausing after said second rinse solution is sprayed the first time for a predetermined amount of time to allow all of said second rinse solution in said single on-line rinse tank to be drained therefrom before said second rinse solution is sprayed a second time;   spraying the second rise solution a second time on said workpiece or workpieces for a predetermined amount of time and returning said second rinse solution to said second reservoir;   spraying a third rinse solution of fresh water from a water supply means into said rinse tank for a predetermined amount of time and returning said fresh water to said second reservoir; and   pumping a given amount of first rinse solution from said first reservoir to purge any remaining fresh water solution from said intervening pipe between said valve means and said spray means.   
     
     
       14. The process as recited in claim 11, including the step of: providing a first reservoir, a second reservoir and a third reservoir;   storing a first rinse solution in said first reservoir;   storing a second rinse solution in said second reservoir;   storing a third rinse solution in said second reservoir;   providing a least seven spray-rinse cycles wherein the first rinse cycle includes;   spraying a first rinse solution a first time on said workpiece or workpieces with said first rinse solution from said first reservoir for a predetermined amount of time and returning said first rinse solution to said discard station from said single on-line rinse tank;   pausing after said first rinse solution is sprayed for a predetermined amount of time to allow all of said first rinse solution in said single on-line rinse tank to be drained therefrom before said first rinse solution is sprayed a second time;   spraying said first rinse solution a second time on said workpiece or workpieces from said first reservoir for a predetermined amount of time and returning said rinse solution to said first reservoir;   spraying a second rinse solution a first time on said workpiece or workpieces from said second reservoir into said rinse tank for a predetermined amount of time and returning said second rinse solution to said first reservoir;   pausing after said second rinse solution is sprayed the first time for a predetermined amount of time to allow all of said second rinse solution in said single on-line rinse tank to be drained therefrom before said second rinse solution is sprayed a second time;   spraying the second rise solution a second time on said workpiece or workpieces for a second time for a predetermined amount of time and returning said second rinse solution to said second reservoir;   spraying a third rinse solution on said workpiece or workpieces from said third reservoir into said rinse tank for a predetermined amount of time and returning said third rinse solution to said second reservoir;   pausing after said third rinse solution is sprayed the first time for a predetermined amount of time to allow all of said second rinse solution in said rinse tank to be discharged therefrom before said second rinse solution is sprayed a second time;   spraying said fourth rinse solution of fresh water from a water supply means on said workpiece or workpieces in said single on-line rinse tank for a predetermined amount of time and returning said fresh water to said third reservoir; and   pumping a given amount of first rinse solution from said first reservoir to purge any remaining fresh water solution from said intervening pipe between said valve means and said spray means.